Pipistrel’s Hybrid Cruiser

byDean Sigleron12/06/2010

The Pipistrel folks in Slovenia have been producing some suprising aircraft with surprising names for the last two decades. Their Virus and Sinus motorgliders are well-traveled and well regarded, having won honors in the 2007 Centennial and 2008 General Aviation Technology Challenges sponsored by NASA and managed by the CAFE Foundation. The firm recently announced that it won the European Business Awards prize as the Most Innovative Company in Europe – out of 15,000 entrants. Indeed, their real-time posting of their solar-powered factory’s electrical output is a strong reminder of that drive to create new paths to the future.

Pipistrel's four-seat hybrid

Another reminder of Pipistrel’s creative juices is the picture of their four-seat hybrid aircraft, which should be flying in the new year, according to Tine Tomazic, part of the company’s research and development team. Tine confirms that the aircraft will cruise on 160 horsepower at 200 knots (230.4 mph), is a hybrid – although not a parallel hybrid, and that its “performance will definitely be on par with the Cessna Corvalis or Cirrus SR 22.”

(Editor’s Note: As explained in the brief entry, the Pipistel people are not disclosing more until their official rollout of the aircraft. What I do know promises multiple surprises when the the airplane and its facts are revealed.)

Hello folks,
it is my pleasure to announce that the hybrid 4-seat cruiser, named Panthera, is now available on the market. All the information about dimensions and performances can be found on the Pipistrel website http://www.pipistrel.si